Knitting-machine



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. E. HARBAUGH.

KNITTING MACHINE- Patented Sept. 6, 1892.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H.E.HARBAU GH.

KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented Sept. 6,-1892f W wmd dH 1 llllrll I'll IL- llllL (No Model.) 4Sheets-Sheet 34 H. E. HARBAUGH. KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 482,173. Patented Sept 6, 1892.

Ina/en mnessesi (No Model.) I t 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. H. E. HARBAUGH.KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented Sept. 6., 1892.

MZHQSSQS.

UNITED STATES HOIVARD E. HARBAUGH PATENT OFFICE.

OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

KNITTING-.MACHINEI SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.482,173, dated September 6, 1892.

Application filed August 17, 1891. Serial No. 402,925. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD EpHARBAUGH, acitizen of the United States,residing at Rockford, in the county of \Vinnebago and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knitting-Machines,of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a means for holding theneedles in engagement with the cam-cylinder, said means being mademovable to allow the needles to become inactive by permitting them towithdraw from their engagement with the camcylinder. I

The further object of this invention is to provide a separate spring foreach needle, which is thrown out of action during the process ofknitting, so that the needle will be held in its elevated position whenout of action, thereby holding the needle in proper position to enterthe cam-groove when it becomes necessary to throw the needle intooperation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section through theneedle-cylinder, showing the position which the parts occupy when theneedle is in its lowest operative position. Fig. 2 is a similar sectionshowing the needle elevated. Fig. 3 is a likewise section showing theneedle held out of action or out of its engagement with the cam. Fig. 4is an outstretched view of a portion of the needle-cylinder, showing thedevices employed for holding the needles in operative connection withthe cam-cylinder or allowing the needles to retract out of engagementwith the cam-cylinder. Fig. 5 is an inner face View of a portion of thecam-cylinder employed to raise and lower the needles during the processof knitting. Fig. 6 is an isometrical representation of the deviceswhich operate upon the needles to hold them in engagement with thecam-cylinder or allow them to become inactive. Fig. 7 is a fragmentalisometrical representation of the ring 11, employed to hold the upperportion of the needles in the grooves of the needle-cylinder. Fig. 8 isa fragmental isometrical representation of a ring which surrounds theneedle-cylinder and which forms supports for the springs for holding theneedles elevated when thrown into their inoperative position.

The needle-cylinder 1 in this instance is in the main of the usual form,having its outer surface provided with needle-grooves 2 running in itslengthwise direction. This cylinder is supported in an annular base 3,having a flanged depending from its under face. A needle-operatingcam-cylinder 5 is located outside of and near the base of theneedlecylinder, having its lower portion 6 provided with gear-teeth andthe inner face of the upright portion provided with the usual groove andthe cam 7. This cam-cylinder is supported in the annular base in suchmanner that a rotary or oscillatory movement may be imparted thereto bythe teeth of the beveled gear-wheel engaging the teeth of its lowerportion, and a ring 8, held in place by screws 9, holds the cam-cylinderin position relative to the annular base 3.

The upper portion of the needle-cylinder is provided with an enlargedportion 10 fora purpose to appear hereinafter. A ring 11, having aninside diameter equal to the outside diameter of the needle-cylinder atthe enlarged portion 10, has a laterally-extending upper portion 12 anda depending portion 13, and is slipped over the needle-cylinder, so thatits inner surface will cover the enlarged portion of theneedle-cylinder. The needles 14: in this instance are longer thanusually employed, having their upper ends provided with the usual hookand latch and their lower ends with the projection 15, which engages thegroove of the cam-cylinder. These needles play up and down in thegrooves of the needle-cylinder in the usual manner during the process ofknitting.

I have provided a spring for each of the needles, which are thrown inand out of action during the process of knitting, and such springs aresupported in such a manner that one of the ends of each is free toconform to the risingand-falling movement of the needles during theprocess of knitting. The means of supporting these springs will now beexplained. Aring 16, which has aninside diameter somewhat larger thanthe outside diameter of the needle-cylinder, has a flange 17, extendingoutward from its upper end, and an inwardly-extending flange 1S and anoutwardly-extending flange 19 at its lower end. A diagonal out 20 ismade through the inner upper corner of this ring and flange 17, so as toleave an opening. 21,.as shown at Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 8. The out of thisframe is made to correspond with the grooves of the needle-cylinder. Adiagonal cut 22 is also made across the inner lower portion of the ring16 and flanges 18 and 19, so as to form an opening 23, and these cutscorrespond to the grooves of the needle-cylinder. bentin U form, issupported at its upper end by a ring of wire 25, located in an annulargroove 26, formed in the upper face of the flange 17 near its inneredge. The outer end 27 of the spring passes through the opening 23,formed in the flange 19, whereby it. is held from displacement. Theinner end 28 has its lower portion 29 bent at substantially right anglesto the main portion of the spring, and the extreme end 30 of the portion29 is bent downward. The lower end of the inner arm 28 of the springnear its-conjunction with the portion 29 is of irregular form for apurpose to appear hereinafter. The flange 17 of the ring 16 is securedto the under face of the upper portion 12 of the ring 11 by screws 31,and this holds the springs from displacement by covering the groove 26.When the needle is raised during the process of knitting to the positionshown in Fig. 2, the lower end of the inner arm of the spring willconform to that portion 32 of the needle which is above the projectionwhich enters the needle-operating cam, and as the needle at this pointis thrown out of engagement with the camthe spring and needle willoccupy the positions shown in Fig. 3, from which it will be seen theneedle is held in its elevated position. This springis at all times incontact with the outer surface of the needle during the process ofknitting, as shown in Fig. l, and the lower end of the spring can givetoward or from the center of the needle-cylinder in a radial directionby moving in the cut 22, formed in the lower portions of the flanges 18and 19 of the ring 16, and by moving in this cut the spring is alwaysheld in proper relation to lie in contact with the needle, and as thearm 27 of the spring is held fixed the necessary spring action will begiven at the inner arm of the spring. When it becomes necessary toremove any one of the needles from the needle-cylinder, the attendant bymeans of the lower end 30 of the inner arm of the spring will draw thespring outward suificiently to allow the projection 15' of the needlesto pass upward by the inner end of the spring, and it is owing to thenecessity for this removal of the individual needlesthat I maketheneedle-cylinder with the upward enlarged portion 10.

Thus far I have described that portion of my knitting-machine employedto raise and lower the needles during the process of knitting and ofholding the needles elevated when not in operative connection with theircamcylinder. I will now proceed to describethe means for holding theneedles in their engage- A spring 24,

is usual before commencing the heel or toe pocket to throw aboutone-half of the needles out of action by a single movement andthereafter to throw out of action a needle first from one side of themachine and then from the other side until all the needles (except,whatfew are always inaction on the back portion of the machine) arethrown out of action, and then to throw the needles into action ininverse order, this operation being termed narrowing and widening. Themeans I employ to accomplish this throwing in and out movement for thefront. half of the needles consists of a series of arms33, all of thesame length, having their upper ends beveled, as shown at 34. These armsare secured in the semicircular base of section 35, which is locatedbelow the lower end .of the needle-cylinder and in such relation theretothat the arms 33 will move in the needle-grooves of the needle-cylinder,as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. These arms are also arranged so that whenthey are in their extreme upward position they will form the surfacesagainst which the lower portion of the needles lie in their rising andfalling movements during the process of knitting, as shown in Figs. 1and 2. When it is desired to allow the needles to retract out ofengagement with the cam-cylinder, the semicircular base 35 and all thearms connected thereto are by a single movement dropped sufficiently toallow the lower end of the needles to move radially toward the center ofthe needle-cylinder sufticiently to free the inner face of theneedleoperating cam-cylinder, andthe spring devices hereinbeforedescribed will force the needles inwardly and hold them in suchposition, as shown in Fig. 3. When it is desired to throw such needlesinto action, the semi circular base and the arms attached thereto aremoved upward, and owing to the beveled upper end of the arms coming incontact with the lower inner end of the needles, the needles are forcedoutward radially the width of the arms, which is sufficient to throwthem into proper operative connection with their widening process-mustbe thrown into or out of action, one on one side of the machine and thenone on the other side at each reciprocation, I have employed; twosegmental bases or sections 36 and 37, which fill the space he tween thesemicircular base and the-needles on the back portion of the machine,which are constantly in operative connection. Each of the segmentalbases is provided with arms 38, which are located in the grooves of theneedle-cylinder. These arms are of different lengths, as shown in Figs.4 and 6. Suppose all of the needles to be in operative engagement withtheir cam-cylinder. The armsof the base and segmental bases 36 and 37would occupy the positions shown in Fig. 4, and when the front half ofthe needles are thrown out of operative action the upper ends of thearms will occupy the positions shown by the dotted cross-lines 39.

I now proceed to the process of narrowing, which is accomplished bylowering the section 37 one step, which will, through the action ofsprings 24, throw out of action the needle lying against the shortestarm of the section. The section 36 is then lowered one notch until theneedle lying against the shortest arm of such section will be likewisethrown out of action, and these sections are alternately dropped step bystep until all of the needles controlled thereby are thrown out ofaction, when the upper ends of the arms of the sections will occupy thepositions shown by the cross-lines 40, and the needles will all bethrown out of action, except the few needles in the back of the machine,which have remained in action. The process of widening is the reverse tothe process of narrowing-- that is, we move the section 37 one stepupward, so that its longest arm will throw into action thefashioning-needle next to the permanent needles. The section 36 is thenmoved one step to throw in the needle controlled by the longest armthereof. This movement continues until all the needles controlled by thesegments are thrown into action, and by a single movement of thesemicircular base 35 the remaining or about one-half of the needles arethrown into action, and the machine will then afterward produce circularwork until the narrowing process is to begin again. I raise the segmentsstep by step, in this instance by means of a lever 41, having a pivotalconnection with a suitable support and provided with a depending arm 42.Near the free ends of this lever 41 are pivoted two double dogs 43 aboutmidway of their length, and a spring 44 connects the lower ends of thedogs. By moving the lever 41 on its pivot by means of the arm 42 one ofthe dogs are made to rise and the other one to fall. dog which risesengages the teeth of one of the racks 45 of the segments, thereby movingit one step, and this movement will place the other dog in position toengage a tooth on the rack of the other section. When a reverse movementis given to the depending arm, the opposite dog will be elevated,thereby moving its segment upward one notch. This movement continuesuntil both of the segments are in their. highest position.

The

By changing the spring 44 to engage the studs upon the upper ends of thedogs the lower endsof the dogs will engage the teeth of the racks, andby the same movement of -the'arm 42 the dogs will engage the teeth ofthe racks alternately, thereby moving the racks and the segments carriedthereby downward until all of the needles are thrown out of action. Thearms are secured to the semicircular base'and the segments, in thisinstance by forming a groove in the upper surface of the base andsegments and running babbitt to fill the groove, thereby making apermanent connection between the arms and their bases. my means ofholding the needles in connection with their operating-cam might'beadapted to a straight'machine without departing from the scope'of myinvention.

'So far as known to me I am the first to provide a base with twosections adapted to hold thefashioning-needles in action or allowingthem to become'inactive, said section having movements independent ofeach other in the lengthwise direction of the needles.

I claim as my invention 1. A knitting-machine provided withneerile-grooves, needles located therein, a needleoperating cam, twosections provided with means adapted to hold the fashioning-needles inaction or allow them to'become inactive,

the sections having movementsindependent of each other in the lengthwisedirection of the needles.

2. Aknitting-machine provided with a needle-cylinder havingneedle-grooves, needles located therein, a needle-operating cam, twosections provided with means adapted to hold the fashioning-needles inengagement with the cam or allow them to become inactive, the sectionshaving movements'independent of each other in the lengthwise directionof the needle-cylinder.

3. A knitting-machine provided with a neejdle-cylinder havingneedle-grooves, needles located therein, a needle-operating cam, twoseries of arms forholding the fashioning-needles in engagement with thecam, the series having a movement independent of each other in thelengthwise direction of the needle-cylinder.

4. A knitting-machine provided with needle-grooves, needles locatedtherein, a needleoperating can], three series of arms for holding theneedles in engagement with the cam, two series for thefashioning-needlesand other series for the remaining needles, which are thrown in and outof action, the series of arms for the fashioning-needles having amovement independent of the remaining series.

5. A knitting-machine provided with rice dle-grooves, needles locatedtherein, a needle operating cam, and three sections provided with armsfor holding the needles in engagement with the cam, two of the sectionsfor the fashioning-needles, the arms of which are of It is also evidentthat IIO different lengths, and the arms of the remaining section whichoperate upon the frontneedles being of equal length.

6. A knitting-machine provided with needle-grooves, needles locatedtherein, a needleoperating cam, three sections provided with arms forholding the needles in engagement with the cam, two of the sections forthe fashioning-needles and the remaining section for the front needles,the arms of each of the sections located and moving in thelengthwisedirection of the needle grooves, and means for moving the sections, thearms of which operate upon the fashioning-needles.

7. A knitting-machine provided with needle-grooves, needles locatedtherein, a needleoperating cam, two sections provided with armsextending therefrom of different lengths and located in theneedle-grooves for the purpose of holding the needles in action orallowing them to become inactive.

8. A knitting-machine provided with needle grooves, needles locatedtherein, aneedleoperating cam, two sections provided with arms extendingtherefrom and located in the needle-grooves and having their upper endsbeveled, each section provided with a toothed rack, and dogs forengaging the teeth of the racks for alternately raising or loweringthem.

9. A knitting-machine provided with needie-grooves, needles locatedtherein, a needleoperating cam, springs for holding the needles out ofaction, a suitable frame, one end of the springs held by the frame andthe other end of each located in a needle-groove in contact with theneedle thereof.

10. In aknitting-machine, the combination of a needlocylinder providedwith needlegrooves, a needle -operating cam, a cylinder surrounding theneedle cylinder, provided with grooves conforming to the needle-grooves,springs held in place in the grooves of the outside cylinder, eachhaving one end stationary and the other end in contact with a needle,and each provided with a projection by which the springs can be removedto release the needles.

HOWARD E. I-IARBAUGl-I.

W'itnesses:

A. O. BEHEL, L. L. MILLER.

